The Path Not Taken
by Seeker of the Sea
Summary: Xena and Gabrielle travel their world.  Along the way they encounter adventure, violence, and most importantly, love.  They learn that each path they take leads to a road that forever changes their lives.
1. Chapter 1

Xena sat on her bedroll, leaning against a log, looking up at the stars. Gabrielle was already asleep and the warrior envied her a little. Though she was exhausted from battle earlier in the day, sleep would not come. It had been an intense fight and she and Gabrielle had been outnumbered. She glanced at Gabrielle. She had been injured, a cut to her upper arm. Xena had seen it happen, remembered that instant of fear for her friend…

_Xena leapt over the attacking man and kicked another in the face. She pulled her sword around and sliced through a new attacker as she tried to split the large group of men between her and Gabrielle. She turned to glance at her friend and saw the man coming from behind her. Xena yelled a warning to Gabrielle but could do nothing else. Gabrielle turned just in time to escape major harm, but the man's blade still caught her upper arm. Xena watched, helplessly, as she went to her knees. She worked to make it to her, to help. For a moment, their eyes met, and the fear that Xena felt, that her friend could not get up, passed. As the man came back around to finish her off, Gabrielle threw a handful of dirt in his face, blinding him. She drove her staff backward at a different attacker, hitting him in the stomach, and then smacked the first over the head. With these two down, she got up and returned to the fight. Xena lost track of her again for a while but when the battle was over Gabrielle was standing close by. Xena took a moment to look over her friend. The cut was red and swollen and there was a lot of blood running down her arm but Xena saw no other injuries. The injury was taking its toll and she leaned heavily on her staff, looking like she might fall over, but when she saw Xena staring at her, she smiled and said she was fine. Xena felt so proud of her…_

A small sound brought Xena out of her thoughts. She heard the sound again and recognized it as a whimper. Her eyes immediately went to Gabrielle. She was tossing on her bedroll, a pained, distressed look on her face. Xena sat up, preparing to go to her friend if needed. When she saw tears on Gabrielle's face she went to wake her.

"Gabrielle, come on, wake up." The girl didn't notice the soft call. Xena placed a hand on her shoulder, but Gabrielle shuddered and cringed away. Xena was getting worried. She gently gripped both of the girl's shoulders, "Gabrielle, wake up. It's ok, it's just me, Xena. Come on Gabrielle, wake up!" She saw her friends eyes open just a little. There was a second of confusion, then recognition. When Gabrielle saw Xena, she threw her arms around her, crying.

Xena put her arms around the bard and pulled her closer. She said nothing, just ran one hand over her back, and the other occasionally across her arm. Eventually the hysterical crying stopped and her breathing slowed. Xena looked down and saw that Gabrielle's eyes were closed. She shifted and when she looked back down the green eyes of her best friend were looking up at her. Those eyes spoke volumes, whether Gabrielle knew it or not, and allowed Xena to see into her soul.

"You should try to sleep again," she told the young woman. Immediately Gabrielle tightened her grip around Xena, fear flashing across her face. "Please Xena, please don't leave me," she pleaded, close to tears again. Xena quieted her, "It's alright, I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you." Relief flooded over Gabrielle and Xena saw her relax a bit. She moved to stand and the girl grabbed her hand, pleading with her eyes, almost in tears. The look tore at Xena's heart, almost more than anything else ever had. "I'll be right back," she said quietly, "I'm just going to grab my bedroll and bring it over here. I promise, I'm coming back to you." Gabrielle nodded and reluctantly let go of Xena's hand but her eyes followed the warriors every step.

Xena grabbed her bedroll and laid it down next to Gabrielle's. She then laid down on it and held out her arm. "Come here," she said to Gabrielle. Gabrielle scooted over and settled in next to Xena, placing her head on the warriors shoulder. Xena wrapped her arm around her friend and pulled her close. "Better," she asked. "Yes," Gabrielle whispered, "Much better." Xena smiled at her.

They lay there in silence for a while and Xena hoped that Gabrielle had fallen back to sleep. But when she looked, her eyes were still open, staring out into the darkness at nothing. "Gabrielle, you should close your eyes and go back to sleep." Gabrielle turned her head to look up at Xena, "I'm afraid," she said quietly. "I don't want to close my eyes and see that again. I don't think I can, it was too horrible." Xena looked softly down at her, "Tell me about it." Gabrielle shrunk back and shook her head. "It will help, really. If you tell me, I can help reassure you that it's not real. Keeping it in is only going to allow it to build in your mind. Come on, you know I'm right." The bard finally nodded slightly and began telling the warrior the one story that she didn't want to bring to words.

"It started out like the battle today," she began. "But as the fighting continued, more and more men came. We knew there were too many for us to take but there were also too many for us to get away. We continued to fight, and for a while we took out more than they gained and were even. Then, they all disappeared. We thought we had won. All of the sudden, several men, bigger than any I had ever seen before came running at us. You pushed me behind you and got ready to fight. They started to surround us, but you kept circling, keeping yourself between the leader and me. When they all rushed in, you shoved me to the ground, out of the way. You threw yourself at the men and led the battle away from me. They didn't even care; it was as if they were only after you. The fight didn't last long," her voice started to deepen with the threat of tears. "Soon they had you on the ground, beating you viciously. I tried so hard to get to you Xena, but I couldn't move. Eventually they tired of beating you. The leader pulled out his sword," she said, her voice breaking. "He ran you through, smiling as he did it. Smiling! At you and then at me. Then they all disappeared. I tried again to get to you and found that I could crawl. I crawled as fast as I could toward you. I reached out to touch you when I was close enough, but I couldn't. You were just out of my reach, and no matter how much I crawled, I couldn't get to you. I stopped for a moment to look at you and saw you looking at me. You were taking these awful, ragged gasps, but they were doing no good. You met my eyes and spoke to me. That was the worst, because I knew I had let you down. You said, 'Gabrielle, why didn't you help me, I needed you?' I told you that I tried but couldn't, you forgave me for that. Then you said the thing that hurt the worst, 'Why wont you comfort me? I'm dying and you won't touch me. Please Gabrielle, help ease my pain, don't let me die alone.' I couldn't touch you, I couldn't stop the bleeding. As hard as I tried, I couldn't do anything. And then you died, alone, just as you feared."

She looked up at Xena, eyes full of tears, "That's why I was afraid to let you go before, why I want to be close to you now. I wanted it so badly then, but couldn't. I didn't want to lose you again, I can't." She closed her eyes and a few tears slid down her red cheeks.

Xena too closed her eyes for a moment. The dream hit close to home on many accounts, for both of them. She could see why Gabrielle was so shaken by it. In fact, Xena was a little shaken too. It was too realistic. She tightened her hold on Gabrielle, who looked incredibly young and vulnerable at the moment. She reached over and gently wiped the tears from Gabrielle's face and turned her face so that she could look directly into her eyes when they opened again. "Gabrielle, look at me." Green eyes, normally bright and lively, but now red and puffy, opened and found concerned blue ones nearby. "It wasn't real. I am right here, you can feel me, can touch me. I am not going to leave you, and I know you are not going to leave me. It was only a bad dream. Nothing bad really happened." "I know Xena, but it was so scary. I'm still scared." Xena rubbed her arm in a comforting way, "It's ok to be scared. But I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Or to me. Who would rescue you then," she teased. This brought a small smile to the bard's lips. "Are you going to be alright," Xena asked. Gabrielle sighed, "Yes, I think so. It did help to talk. And knowing that you are right here helps too." "Good, I'm glad to hear that. We should try to get some sleep now, if we can." The young woman nodded, turned slightly to get more comfortable, and closed her eyes.

Through years of training, Xena was able to push the unpleasant thoughts from her mind, but sleep didn't come so easily. She stared up at the stars, thinking about the woman beside her. Gabrielle shifted positions a few more times, and ended up snuggling closer, placing her arm across Xena's stomach before settling. Xena thought of the few other times they had slept near each other. When the weather was unbearably cold, at a few inns that had only one bed. They had slept back to back or simply side by side then, never like this. But even during those other times, Xena had noticed Gabrielle's tendency to cuddle closer in her sleep. Xena never minded, it felt nice to be a comfort to her friend. Taking in their current position, Xena couldn't help but notice how right it felt to be close to Gabrielle and hold her. It felt like something had been missing before and was now complete. She felt more comfortable, more at peace than she had in quite some time. Gabrielle too, looked peaceful.

"Xena," Gabrielle said softly. It startled Xena, she thought Gabrielle was asleep. "I thought you were asleep. Everything thing alright?" The younger woman smiled sleepily, and it reached her eyes this time, lighting them up in a way that had become a joy for Xena to see. "Almost, I just didn't want to fall asleep before I said thank you." Xena was confused, "For what," she asked. "For helping me out this morning with my arm and everything, for being my best friend," she paused for a moment before continuing, "for this," she said and gave Xena a small hug. Xena smiled at her and returned the hug, "Anything for you."

Gabrielle closed her eyes again and let out a small, contented sigh. "That feels really nice," she said in a whisper. "What does," Xena asked. "You," she yawned, "my hair." The warrior suddenly realized she had been absentmindedly running her fingers through the golden locks of the bard. She didn't even know how long she had been doing it. She thought about stopping, but then Gabrielle might think something was wrong. And anyway, the girl said it felt nice, there was nothing wrong with that. She continued gently running her fingers through Gabrielle's hair.

As she lay there holding her precious friend, Xena thought about how the gentle young bard had changed her. Never before would Xena, warrior princess, have thought about comforting anyone or been comfortable showing affection. But now, with Gabrielle, it felt natural to reach out and touch her friend or give her a hug. It hadn't started like that though. She remembered the first time Gabrielle had hugged her, when she and Hercules were preparing to free Prometheus. After that first time, Gabrielle gradually became more affectionate with Xena. She said that touching and hugging were something she was used to from back home and felt odd without. For Xena it was exactly the opposite. But after a while, she became used to Gabrielle's random hugs and arm grabbing. In fact, she began to enjoy it. Eventually Xena started initiating the contact. When she saw how it made Gabrielle smile she started doing it more often. She would do anything to see the smile that lit up her eyes and made her happy. Acting affectionate toward each other was second nature to them now. After all, they were best friends and had been through a lot together.

Xena, finally feeling sleep pull her in, ran a hand down Gabrielle's cheek just to reassure herself that everything was ok. She went to rest her arm across her stomach like usual, but found Gabrielle's already there. After a brief moment of uncertainty, she took the girl's warm hand in her own. As she succumbed to sleep, she felt Gabrielle, in her sleep, lightly squeeze her hand. Xena fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I forget to put one in the first chapter, but here it is now. I own nothing Xena, I simply wrote a story for my enjoyment. And hopefully yours._

Chapter 2:

The next morning, Xena woke later than normal. She found herself and Gabrielle in the same position they had fallen asleep in. Normally she would have gotten up and started the day. Her morning routine consisted of finding some food, rekindling the fire, and cooking breakfast, the only meal Gabrielle allowed her to touch. She smiled at that thought. She knew she was no cook, most of the time her food wasn't even edible, but breakfast was a bit simpler and wasn't normally as disastrous. It was one thing she could do for Gabrielle in the morning, since all her other meals were awful. Xena knew that she could do all these things like normal, but she didn't want to wake Gabrielle and she knew that getting up would do just that. The girl looked so peaceful in her sleep and after such a tough night, needed some rest. Though these were the reasons Xena kept coming up with for staying with Gabrielle and not moving, she knew that underneath those "rational" thoughts she really just wanted to stay holding her. Xena kept trying to tell herself that it was only because the girl had been so distraught the night before, but knew deep down that it was more than that. And so, rational reasoning or not, she stayed with the bard.

Gabrielle woke, to find herself much more comfortable than normal. When she opened her eyes she realized it was because she was sleeping with Xena. Seeing her friend still sleeping made her smile. She almost never woke before Xena. A small breeze blew a strand of hair across her face and when Gabrielle went to push it out of the way, she noticed that something was holding her hand back. Looking down, she saw her hand in Xena's larger one. Again she smiled. Xena had done that either before she went to sleep or during, but either way it made Gabrielle happy.

"Good morning," she heard. "Xena, I thought I beat you this morning. How long have you been awake," she asked. Xena sighed as she answered, "Oh, about half an hour or so." Gabrielle was surprised, "And you're not up yet? Are you ok? Of course not, you must be sick." She reached up to place her hand on her friends' forehead. Xena rolled her eyes at the girl. "Gabrielle," she growled, "I am not sick." She grabbed the bard's hand from her head and found herself looking into her favorite bright green eyes.

Immediately she was lost in those green eyes, lost in the shifting colors that reminded her of rolling green plains, gently touched by a summer breeze. The colors shifted with Gabrielle's moods and feeling's. Darker when she was sad or tired, fiery when she was angry, bright and dancing when she was happy. They spoke so much without words. But lately there was a new combination that Xena had yet to decipher, one that only showed when the girl looked at her. Bright and glowing, soft, but with a fire underneath. It was the look she was getting now and it was something she found she liked very much. She always liked looking into Gabrielle's eyes, seeing the pure goodness and innocence there, seeing into her soul. It took her breath away every time, and it was becoming harder to hide this affect from her friend. But with those eyes, her favorite eyes, looking at her, it was hard to do anything but look back.

Gabrielle too, was swept up in the blue eyes of her friend, the color a mix of the summer sky and the bright ocean. There was nothing that could compare to depth of those eyes. She could read Xena's emotions through them. Even when she wore an unreadable mask, Gabrielle could read her eyes. Normally they were clear and bright, with only a touch of wariness hidden deep down, something only Gabrielle noticed. But when she was in the midst of anger or violence they turned hard, cold, like a glacier in winter. It was a look that scared most people away, but never Gabrielle. From the very beginning, she could see beyond that coldness, to the warmth of the soul behind them. It was made her so curious at the start, that such a seemingly cold person could have such goodness underneath. Gabrielle recently noticed that only when Xena looked at her, was there no trace of darkness or ice or wariness in her eyes, no matter how deep down she looked. It was as if it melted away in the presence of the girl. Seeing that look of complete trust and warmth touched Gabrielle's heart. She longed to see that look directed at her all the time.

A soft bird call brought them out of their trance. What had felt like hours to them were only a few minutes. Slowly coming back to her senses, Xena released Gabrielle's hand. "I think you're right," Gabrielle said, "You aren't sick." They both laughed and Xena replied, "I told you so."

The two of them sat up and attempted to go about the morning as if nothing unusual had happened. Xena went off to find some food and Gabrielle picked up camp and refilled their water skins at a nearby creek. She was waiting for Xena to return when a cool wind blew past. Her bardic side came out as she said aloud "The winter winds shall pass away, and spring will bloom in full. Not easily though will winter yield, to the spring's bright meadow field. A battle brief will be waged, as spring comes in and winter fades. Until the spring can take firm hold, a winter wind will coolly blow."

Rich laughter came from the woods as Xena walked out. "Only you could use your gifts to make the passing of the seasons sound like that." Gabrielle took slight offense, "It's not nice to make fun of me or my poem." Xena smiled as she passed the bard and set down her catch. "I wasn't making fun," she said in her own defense, "I was teasing you, but I didn't mean anything by it. I think it was a lovely poem. I have just never heard anyone speak about the weather like that." She looked around, "You are right though. It's cooler than normal today."

Gabrielle thought about it then consented. "What did you catch?" "Two rabbits," Xena replied. "Why two," Gabrielle asked. Xena looked up from her work of skinning the animals to say, "Well since we are getting a late start, I thought we could cook both now and save one for lunch. That way we don't have to stop again in a few hours. Can you find something to cook these on?" Gabrielle nodded and went to find some sticks to use for cooking.

When their meal was cooking, Xena called Gabrielle over to the log and told her to sit. "I want to check that cut," she told her as she straddled the log to have a look. She unwrapped the bandage and saw that the bleeding had stopped and the redness was down some. It was still swollen though, and there were the first traces of bruising around the edges. She washed it with water then reached into her saddle bag and retrieved some salve to put on it. As she gently rubbed it in, she felt Gabrielle tense up beneath her hands and take in a sharp breath. "I'm sorry," she told the girl, "But I have to do this. It could get infected if I don't and hurt a lot worse later." Gabrielle nodded, "I know, but that doesn't make it feel any nicer now." When the salve was rubbed in, Xena rewrapped the cut with a fresh bandage and released her grateful charge.

The rabbit was finished cooking and they sat down to eat a quick breakfast. They ate in relative silence and packed up the rest of their things soon after finishing. Within half an hour they were on the road again. As was usual, Xena rode her mare Argo while Gabrielle walked beside them. Gabrielle had not grown up around horses and didn't feel very comfortable riding unless she had to.

They traveled for some time, each lost in their own thoughts. It was Gabrielle who brought them out of the silence, asking, "So where are we heading now?" Xena pondered the question for a few minutes before replying. "I think we will head toward the coast for a while." She let Gabrielle think about that for a few minutes before adding, "You know, Potidaea will only be a few days ride once we get to the coast. I thought you might like to visit home while we are close. It's been a long time since you have been back and I'm sure your sister is missing you, not to mention your parents." Gabrielle looked up at Xena, "Yes, it has been a while." Xena frowned, "You don't seem very excited about it. What's wrong?" The girl sighed, "It's not that I don't love my family, I do and I miss them, but they still just don't understand me. They cannot understand why I love to read and write so much, why I wouldn't marry Perdicas when they wanted me to, why I left home, or why I want to be out here with you. And even though they never say it, I can tell they disapprove of my decision to leave. Every time I see them they ask if I have changed my mind and decided to stay and live a normal life. They just can't wrap their minds around the fact that I like being out here. It's just so frustrating some times." Xena reined in Agro to a stop as she looked over at her friend. She hadn't realized how Gabrielle's family acted toward her. She knew that it was out of love, but they should still accept her choices. "We don't have to go if you don't want to." Gabrielle shook her head, "No, I would still like to see them, if that is alright. They are my family, the only one I have, apart from you." Xena was startled by the bard's words. She considered her family? Xena wasn't quite sure how that statement had been meant, wasn't sure what she wanted it to mean. She looked back at Gabrielle and thought she saw her blush slightly, but the girl started walking and she couldn't be sure. When she caught up to the blonde she said quietly, "I understand why." From her seat atop Argo the warrior saw a smile cross Gabrielle's lips.

They continued travelling toward the coast, still in silence, still thinking. Gabrielle thought of what Xena had said to her about understanding. It didn't surprise her; Xena could always understand her, even when others couldn't. She knew the bard well enough to know how she felt about things, like being forced to marry a farm boy, or her reasons behind leaving home. The one thing Gabrielle wasn't sure that Xena understood was why she wanted to stay with the warrior. Gabrielle wasn't even sure about all the reasons behind that. She only knew that she would be lost without Xena, incomplete. She knew that being separated from her tore her apart and made her feel utterly alone. Gabrielle didn't quite understand why she felt this way, but she knew the feelings were strong. She could not be without Xena.

Xena too travelled in thought. She was confused by Gabrielle calling her family. She couldn't seem to make sense of it, didn't know what type of family she was being compared to. She knew it wasn't a motherly figure, and they were much to close for it to be an aunt or cousin. The warrior assumed that Gabrielle meant family as in a sister, but that didn't feel right to Xena either. She felt as though they were closer than that, like simply being a sister was inadequate. They had been through so much together and it had brought them very close. Some sisters, she thought, may be as close as she and Gabrielle were, but not most. Something just wouldn't let her drop the statement. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her.

"Gabrielle," Xena called out, "I need you to answer something for me. What exactly did you mean when you said I was your family?" The bard stopped walking and Xena followed suit. "It's hard to explain," she said quietly. "Try," Xena asked. Gabrielle sighed, "I suppose that family is not the best way of putting it. I already have a sister so it's not like that. What we have is so much different than what I share with Lila." She paused for a moment, trying to collect her words. "It's more that when I'm with you, I am home. They are my family, but where ever you are is where I belong. Does that make sense?" Xena was speechless. She had not expected that from her explanation. But as she thought about it, she realized exactly how much sense it made. For the first time in a very long time she felt at home; and it was being with Gabrielle that made it feel that way. No matter where they were, they were home, as long as they had each other. "Xena," Gabrielle said, pulling her out of her thoughts. The warrior smiled at her friend, "Yes, Gabrielle that makes a lot of sense." The young woman smiled back and started walking again.

The silence that they had been travelling in was broken, as Gabrielle began a story about a lone wolf who, missing the companionship of his pack, convinced the gods to turn him into a man. "He was new to life with the people, though he had spent much time watching them. He found interacting with them was much harder than he had expected. There were so many rules to learn and follow, and everyone kept asking for his name, which couldn't be translated to the human language. Eventually he understood that people needed something to call him, so he decided on OUCH!" Xena laughed, "He wanted to be called Ouch?" Gabrielle glared up at her, "No. The 'ouch' was for me. I think a bur or a rock worked its way into my boot. I need to take it off to get it out." She knelt down and took off her boot, looking for the source of pain while Xena chuckled from atop Argo. "There you are you little…" She had turned and when she looked behind them saw big, dark, swirling storm clouds racing in. "Xena, look behind us. I think we are in trouble." The warrior turned and saw what had her friend troubled. She immediately took back her thoughts about the girl over reacting. This was going to be bad storm. Xena held a hand down for Gabrielle, "Come on, we need to find shelter, fast. This is not going to be a light spring shower." Gabrielle took her hand and swung up on Argo, taking her place behind Xena. When she was settled, with arms holding on to the warrior, Xena spurred Argo toward the nearby hills in search of a cave she knew to be close. She had found the cave years ago while hiding from a band of cutthroats. She had been unarmed and outnumbered; her only way of escape had been to hide. While running through the hills, she stumbled upon the concealed cave. It had served as a shelter and hide out while the ruffians searched for her then; it would serve as shelter from a storm now.

**AN:** I'm not particularly happy with the place this chapter ends, but it was the only decent stopping point for a while. I hope everyone is enjoying it so far and I would love to hear what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: _So I have gotten a lot of hits on this story, but no reviews. I would really like to hear what you think and any opinions or suggestions that you might have. I would greatly appreciate anything you have to say._

_To those of you still reading and following, I thank you._

Chapter 3:

The first sounds of thunder rolled across the sky accompanied by a strong, cold wind. Xena pushed her horse faster. They raced toward the hills, but as Xena glanced behind her she saw the storm was gaining on them. Gabrielle leaned forward so she could be heard over the wind, "Where are we going?" Xena leaned back for the same reason, "There is a cave somewhere in these hills. We need to find it." "You don't know where it is?" "It was a long time ago. I know it's here, just not the exact location. I'll find it again," Xena said, a little irritated.

The first cold rain drops fell on them as they reached the bottom of the hills and were followed by an instant downpour. Xena stopped her horse and slid off, then turned to help Gabrielle. "It's too steep in this rain to ride Argo into the hills. We'll have to hike from here." Gabrielle nodded and retrieved her things from the horse. "What about Argo, will she be alright?" Xena gave her horse a pat on the neck, "She'll be fine. She will find some where safe nearby to ride out the storm."

When they had all of their things, they left Argo and headed up into the hills. The way was steep and the cold rain pouring down made the climb very slippery. After hiking for a while, even Xena was tiring. She turned to check on Gabrielle, but found her friend keeping up. She gave a reassuring smile and continued up the hill. She knew they were getting close and switched directions to where she remembered the cave lay. As they rounded a group of trees, Xena spotted it, the mouth mostly concealed by several large bushes and trees. They trudged up the last incline and finally entered the shelter of the cave. Xena put her things down and looked around. Up against a wall, there was a pile of branches and logs for a fire, probably left over from the last travelers that passed through. She was thankful, they were going to need a fire to get warmed up and all the wood outside was too wet to be used.

Xena turned, looking for Gabrielle. She saw the girl standing near the entrance huddled over. As she approached her, Xena saw she was shivering violently. She placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her farther into the cave. "Gabrielle, you need to get out of those wet clothes and get dry." The girl leaned into Xena, craving warmth, but the warrior, also soaked and cold, was not much of a help. Xena pulled a cloth from a pack and handed it to Gabrielle, "Get out of those clothes and use this to dry off. When you are dressed come on over. I'm going to get a fire started." Gabrielle nodded and started doing as Xena said.

As she walked around, Xena found an old fire ring. It was in a very good spot, where she would have put it herself. It was close to a side wall, so that there was enough room to lean back on or sleep between the wall and the fire and still be warm. It was off to the side, away from the entrance, but allowed a good view, should anyone try to enter. She brought over some of the wood and prepared it for the fire, then brought the rest so that it was closer to where they would be. In minutes she had the fire going and was setting up the bedrolls and furs. Then she brought over their belongings. Thankfully their oiled packs and saddle bags had kept everything dry. As she laid out the furs, Gabrielle came over, still shivering. Xena sat her down on the bedrolls and used those blankets to cover her legs, then wrapped a fur around her. "I'm going to dry off and change. I'll be back soon." Gabrielle nodded again and pulled the fur tighter around her.

Xena noticed for the first time, as she took off her weapons, armor, and drenched leathers, just how cold she really was. When her mind was on other things it was easy to ignore, but now that her goal was to dry off and warm up the chill set in and it was harsh. By the time she had dried off and put on dry clothes, she was shaking from the cold. She wanted only to go to the fire, but first had to dry her weapons. Any water left on them overnight would dull or tarnish them. Though it did not take long, the care of the weapons was agonizing in the cold. Eventually she made her way back over to the warmth of the fire and Gabrielle. "Got any room down there for me," she asked. Gabrielle noticed her shivering and immediately un-tucked a side of the fur and held it out for Xena. Xena grabbed a second fur and held onto it as she slid behind Gabrielle. "Wha…what are y…you do…ing," Gabrielle asked through chattering teeth. "We will be warmer this way," she said. She pulled the second fur around the front of them and tucked it into the one behind. Then Xena, leaning against the cave wall, reached forward and pulled Gabrielle back into her, settling her in between her legs.

A few minutes later Gabrielle's teeth stopped chattering, but she was still shivering, as was Xena. Xena placed her hands on the bard's arms and began rubbing them, creating friction and in turn, warmth for them both. Gabrielle leaned more into Xena and the extra warmth there. Soon her arms were no longer covered in goose bumps, but the chill was still there. Xena instead wrapped her arms around the girl's stomach and pulled her closer. "You were right Xena," Gabrielle said, "This is much warmer." Xena chuckled, "And more comfortable too." The bard voiced her agreement.

The two women started warming up as the storm raged on outside the cave. One particularly violent strike of thunder caused Gabrielle to jump, the loud crash startling her. Xena gave her a little squeeze. "You alright," the warrior asked. Gabrielle turned her head so she could look at her friend. "I'm fine, that one just startled me." Xena smiled, "It was very loud." She started pulling one arm away from the girl, but Gabrielle caught it. "What are you doing?" "I just wanted to grab the water skin for a drink," she replied. "Can I have at least one of my arms for that," she said jokingly. The girl complied but placed her hand over the remaining arm, not allowing Xena to remove both. This made Xena smile, the idea that Gabrielle also liked the small embrace they were in. She used her free hand to grab the skin and take a drink, then offered it to her friend. Gabrielle slipped one arm out of the furs enough to take the skin and drink, then handed it back to Xena.

When she brought her arm back down into the furs, Gabrielle moved her hand over to Xena's and slid her fingers in between those of the older woman. She felt her friend tense for the briefest of moments then relax, adjusting her hand for a better grip. Xena found Gabrielle's small action comforting and in return, smoothed back her wet, blonde hair and lightly kissed the top of her head before relaxing back into the wall.

To anyone who might have been watching, the whole scene could have been read as a gesture of comfort or close friendship, the whole thing very innocent and sweet. But to the two women living it, it was becoming obvious that their feelings were becoming stronger than friendship.

"You know," Xena said out of the blue, "I've been really proud of you the last few days." Gabrielle was surprised, "Really, you are? But for what?" "For a lot of things I guess," the warrior told her, "In the battle you got hurt, but you turned and kept fighting immediately, as if nothing had happened. And it wasn't a little scratch either. I know how much it hurts. Then today hiking up the hill, I was setting a hard pace in horrible conditions. I have to admit that I didn't think much about if you could handle it or not, I just went. When I noticed how tired I was getting I realized that you must be exhausted as well, especially after an injury and little sleep. I thought you had probably fallen behind. But when I turned around, you were right there, looking a bit like you wanted to whack me with your staff, but right there all the same." They both laughed at this. "Gabrielle," Xena continued, "I know I don't often say it, but I am very proud of you, all the time. Every day you somehow exceed my expectations. I'm glad to have you with me." Hearing this made Gabrielle smile; Xena didn't open up to her emotions very much, at least not verbally, and it heartened the girl to hear her express her feelings out loud.

Soon, a rumble, one that was not from the storm, was heard rolling through the cave. Gabrielle instantly started laughing. "HA! That was not me this time. Look who's hungry now! Your stomach is the one growling this time," she taunted. Xena grudgingly consented, "Alright, alright, this time it was me. I'm hungry and whether or not your stomach is growling I bet you are too. Want me to warm up the rabbit?" Gabrielle nodded, "I guess it will make an early dinner, since we walked right through lunch." "You're right," Xena said, "But if you want food, you are going to have to actually let go of me this time." The girl growled unhappily but released the warrior's hand and allowed her to get up.

Xena slipped out of the warmth of the furs and moved over to the fire. She took the rabbit, bread, and some cheese and placed it on two plates near fire to warm. Curious about the weather, she then walked over to the entrance of the cave to look out. She watched as lightning lit up the darkening sky. A deep roll of thunder followed close behind. "It doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon," she said. Gabrielle watched Xena, who seemed almost captured by the storm outside. "Xena," she called, "Come back over here. The food is warm and so is the fire." Xena stared outside for a few more moments then turned and came back to the fire. She sat down next to Gabrielle, placed the fur around her shoulders and handed a plate to her friend. They ate their small meal, passing the water skin back and forth, lightly chatting about random things. When they finished Xena took the plates and placed them near their packs to be cleaned later.

Noticing that a chill was setting in again, the warrior asked Gabrielle if she would like to get back under the furs like before. Gabrielle agreed and they scooted back to their original spot. When the furs were properly placed and Xena was comfortably leaning against the wall again, she drew her arms under the furs. She immediately wrapped them around Gabrielle and pulled her into her chest. Gabrielle, in turn, took Xena's hands without hesitation. "I'm glad you suggested this," Gabrielle said, "I was getting cold again." Xena laughed, "I was too. And this is much better than sitting with only a fur around your shoulders."

Noting how the cave had grown colder as the night came in, Gabrielle wondered about their sleeping arrangements. She knew it would be too cold for them to sleep separately, but didn't want to assume anything. "It's going to be really cold tonight, isn't it," she said. She felt Xena nod behind her. Pushing for more of an answer she added, "Will we be warm enough?" This time Xena verbally answered, "Well I thought we would sleep together, it will be a lot warmer that way." She paused, "If that's ok with you I mean." Gabrielle held back a laugh, "Of course that's ok. I'll probably sleep better like that anyway." "Good to hear," Xena said, "But why do you think you will sleep better?" The blonde half shrugged, "I like sleeping with you. I slept better last night, well after the nightmare, than I had all week. I was really comfortable and being that close to you makes me feel completely safe. I mean, I know that I am always safe with you around, but it's different when you hold me." For a moment the warrior didn't know what to say. She loved having Gabrielle close to her but she didn't know that the girl felt the same way. She wondered what Gabrielle thought about their current position. "So sitting here now, like this…" Gabrielle turned her head to look at Xena, "I love this; I could stay right here and never move. It feels like nothing bad can touch me here." When the warrior said nothing she added, "Of course you probably get tired of me needing you all the time and being so clingy. I don't know why you keep me around." She said this as a joke, but Xena's answer made her question how it had been taken. "You have a good point there. I'm always having to save you or track you down. You always follow me. Maybe it would be easier to just find a new companion." Xena paused, "But then again, I've already put so much training into you. Taught you how to hunt a little and set up camp and how to care for Argo. Plus you can cook. I guess I'll have to keep you; it would be too much work to train a replacement."

Gabrielle felt her heart drop. She was unsure if Xena was joking or not; it was hard to read her tone of voice. She sat up and away from her, "I'll try not to be so much of a bother in the future." Hearing the pain in her friend's voice, Xena sat forward also. She put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Gabrielle," she whispered gently, "I was only teasing. I would never want to replace you, it can't be done. No one can be what you are to me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry for how it sounded; I'm not very good at joking. I am so sorry. Please forgive me Gabrielle." The bard turned and looked at Xena; saw the look on her face and the tears in her eyes. She really hadn't meant anything by it. Gabrielle felt stupid for taking it to heart. She placed her hand over Xena's, "Of course I forgive you. I shouldn't have taken it so seriously. It just brought my worst fears to life, the thought that you didn't want me anymore. I'm sorry, I should have known better." Xena closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. With her eyes, she also opened her arms, "Come back," she asked. The blonde smiled and nodded, allowing herself to be embraced by Xena again. Xena held on tighter than before, as if she was scared to lose her. As Gabrielle snuggled in closer, Xena briefly rested her cheek atop her head and whispered softly, "Right where you belong."

With emotions running high, neither of them spoke. They felt at the moment, only a need to be close to each other. The sounds of the storm still raging outside filled the background. Xena thought of the near disaster that came from her bad joke. She could still hear Gabrielle's voice, saturated with pain, in her head. Though the bard had forgiven her, she still felt extremely bad about the misunderstanding. Feeling the urge to again show that she would never want Gabrielle to leave her, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on the girl's cheek. Gabrielle turned her head in surprise. "What was that for?" Xena shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious, "I wanted to make sure you knew that I was sorry and that I would never want you to leave. I just felt like I needed to reassure you, and myself." The blonde smiled at her. "I know you didn't mean it. I'm not sure I have ever seen you so concerned about an apology before." Xena looked her right in the eyes, "Because I wasn't apologizing to you. Gabrielle, you are my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone else. That's why I have to make sure that you know I didn't mean it. I don't care what others think of me anymore, but I do care about you. I couldn't bear it if I hurt you, even unintentionally, and didn't make sure you forgave me." Gabrielle was surprised by Xena's words. She was being much more open than normal. "That's really sweet of you. I forgive you, I did the first time. It means a lot to me though, that it means so much to you." Xena nodded, finally confident that she was forgiven and that Gabrielle was ok.

Another thunderclap roared outside and a lightning strike lit up the dark cave. "The gods must be angry tonight," Gabrielle said. Xena chuckled behind her. "I was thinking the same thing. I bet that somehow Ares is behind it. He is always stirring up trouble." The younger woman laughed too. "So what are we going to do if this keeps up until the morning? Will we continue traveling in it?" Xena thought about it for a few minutes. "If it is still bad, like this, then no, we will just stay here. We aren't in a hurry to get anywhere and there is no need to push ourselves just for the sake of travelling and risk possibly getting hurt or sick along the way. If it is a light rain and not too cold, then we might head out in it. I guess we will just have to wait until the morning and decide after we get a good look at the weather." "That sounds like a good plan," Gabrielle said, following the sentence with a yawn. Xena saw it and it made her yawn too. "Getting a little tired," she asked. "A little," the bard agreed. "Me too," Xena said. "How about we get the furs set up to sleep in and lay down?" The young woman nodded and they both sat up.

Once up and moving, they gathered the furs, bedrolls, and blankets and moved them off to the side so that they had room to maneuver about. "How are we going to do this," Gabrielle asked. "Well I've been thinking about it," Xena said, "I think we should put one fur down first, fur side up, then the bedrolls for us to lie on. If we put the blankets next, we can use them to cover up, and then the second fur on top, fur side down toward us. That should keep us insulated and warm from the top and the bottom." They set about laying everything down as Xena had said. When that was done, the moved some wood within arms reach of their bed so that they could keep the fire stoked throughout the night without having to get up. Xena grabbed the water skin and they pulled back the top layers and slid into their pallet.

Xena placed Gabrielle between herself and the fire, hoping she would stay warmer. "You'll probably want to sleep facing the fire, but for now, face me," she said. Gabrielle looked confused at the request, "Why?" "Because I want to look at you while we talk." "Xena, you have been looking at me all afternoon," Gabrielle told her. Xena sighed, "At the back or side of your head maybe. I want to see your face and your eyes for a change." They both smiled and Gabrielle did as she was asked.

They lay facing each other, the blankets pulled only up to their chests. Xena touched the bandage on Gabrielle's arm. "I need to check that again in the morning. If it hasn't started closing on its own, I'll have to stitch it." Gabrielle made a face at her, "Well I hope it's closing then. I would prefer not to be stitched up." Xena lightly brushed her thumb over the wrap. "It will leave a scar either way," she said quietly. "So," Gabrielle said nonchalantly, "it's not that big of a deal. You have scars too." "Yes," Xena replied, "I have many. But mine are different; I deserved them, you do not." "Xena, you don't deserve to be hurt anymore than I do. You need to stop thinking like that. You have changed so much for the better, but you have to move on from the past. You are not that woman anymore; let it go." Xena closed her eyes and let out a breath. "It's hard Gabrielle; I've done so many horrible things." She paused for a moment, "I know that I have to try to make up for them, but perhaps you are right. I heard it once said that 'the first step to finding forgiveness from others is forgiving your self.' I'll try to remember that in the future." Gabrielle smiled at her, "That sounds like a good plan. And I'll always be here to remind you if you forget."

The fire burned low and Xena reached over to add another log before turning in for the night. Gabrielle turned over, placing her back to the warrior, and felt herself being pulled closer. Xena sighed contentedly. "You are really warm," she told the blonde. Gabrielle smiled, "Only because my back was to the fire. You would feel the same way if you were in my spot. You can switch with me if you're cold." "No," Xena said, close to her ear. "I think I will be just fine right here. I have you to keep me warm." Gabrielle glanced back over her shoulder to look at her friend and saw her smiling softly. The younger woman just smiled back and laid down. Xena gently slid her arm under Gabrielle's head. "Is that ok," she asked. "Just fine," Gabrielle replied. With her other arm around the girls' stomach, Xena settled down into the blankets. Soon they were both sleeping peacefully.

Xena woke only once during the night, and it was simply to stoke the dying fire. Gabrielle stirred slightly when her pillow moved, but after a few soft words from Xena, fell back to sleep. They both slept soundly until morning.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN:**__ As I was re-reading some of this the other day, I noticed that the Xena in my story is a little more laid back and playful than the real Xena, but I can't help myself. I think perhaps it's what she might have been like if she had not had the burden of redemption on her shoulders, if she had simply travelled the world with Gabrielle after changing her ways. I could try to write her a little more true to character if you all would prefer it, but I kinda like this Xena and unless anyone objects I'll continue with her this way._

Dawn appeared in gray, with storm clouds still overhead; Xena woke up soon after. Gabrielle was still sound asleep. Xena observed the weather as best she could from her position. It was much lighter outside than the day before and the rain light. She glanced over at the fire and noticed that it was dying down again. When she leaned over her sleeping friend to retrieve more wood, Gabrielle opened her eyes. As Xena pulled back to her side, Gabrielle turned toward her. Seeing her friend, the blonde gave a sleepy smile, one the warrior found absolutely adorable. "Good morning. Sorry I woke you," Xena told her. Gabrielle, eyes still half closed with sleep, replied. "'S ok. Still raining?" "A little bit. I think it should clear up enough for us to travel in the next few hours." "So I don't have to get up yet," the bard asked. Xena laughed softly and gave her a one-armed hug, "No, you don't have to get up yet." Gabrielle smiled again and snuggled into Xena, "Good."

About an hour later, Xena gently woke Gabrielle. While the girl was rousing, the warrior went to the entrance of the cave to get a better look at the weather. Though the skies were still overcast, the rain had stopped and the temperature had risen. They would be able to move on as soon as they were ready to break camp.

Gabrielle had just stood up when Xena appeared beside her. "How's it look out there," she asked. "The rain has stopped," Xena told her, "and it's warmer. Still cloudy, but I think it is going to clear up by midday." The young woman nodded, "I'm glad to hear that. I definitely won't miss being soaked again." Xena nodded her agreement. "What do you say to breakfast? We don't have much, but I think the bread and fruit should hold us until we reach the next town." Gabrielle gave her friend a look of amusement. "What kind of question is that? You know I never turn down food." The warrior laughed, "Yes, what was I thinking, to ask you that. I should have known better." The bard briefly glared at Xena but knew her friend was joking, just as she was. She left Xena to get the food out and started folding her now dry clothes from yesterday.

Before she let the bard eat, Xena pulled her over toward the cave entrance and had her sit down. "What are we doing," Gabrielle asked. Xena reached up and started untying the bandage around the girl's arm. "I told you I wanted to look at the cut, to see if I need to stitch it." The blonde grimaced, "I had hoped you had forgotten about that." Xena gave a small smile in response and shook her head. The warrior lifted and turned Gabrielle's arm, trying her best to examine it, but couldn't see what she needed. Sighing, she told the girl, "I can't see well enough in this light to tell if it is closing or not. It's too overcast. I guess it will have to wait until we get to town." Gabrielle smiled, "That's just too bad. I'm not sure how I'll ever manage the wait. I suppose I will find a way to push on, somehow." Xena, amused by the victorious tone in her friend's voice, rewrapped the cut and freed the bard to go eat breakfast.

When they had eaten and packed their things, the duo made their way out of the cave. The path they had used the day before was slick with mud and other debris from the storm. It slowed them as they descended, but not being in a rush, the two women didn't mind. At the bottom of the foothills, Xena whistled for her horse. A few minutes later, Argo came trotting up, looking no worse for the wear. "Hey there girl," Xena said, "I knew you would find a nice spot to ride out that storm." The warrior rubbed the mare's nose affectionately and looked her over just to be safe. Gabrielle too gave the golden horse a good pat. When she was sure that Argo was fine, Xena saddled her and attached the saddle bags. She then mounted her horse, and seeing that her partner was ready, nudged Argo forward.

The skies cleared up soon after they left their shelter and the day turned warm and sunny. They made good time, stopping only briefly for lunch before continuing toward the nearest town and the coast. As the day wore on and the sun lowered in the western sky Gabrielle asked how far away they were from town. "We should make it there before sunset," Xena told her, "Maybe another hour of travel." A few minutes later, around a bend in the road, they came across four men.

The men were standing in the middle of the road, each armed. Knowing they were bandits, Xena and Gabrielle slowed, but kept going toward them. When they were close, Xena stopped her horse in front of the men. Before anyone could speak, the warrior cleared her throat to get Gabrielle's attention, and then scratched the back of her neck. It was a signal for Gabrielle, letting the girl know to play dumb toward the men's intentions. The bard rubbed her nose in acknowledgment and placed a big grin on her face, preparing for her act.

"Good afternoon! How are you gentlemen today," Gabrielle asked in a chipper voice, still smiling. Not waiting for an answer, the little blonde continued speaking. "My, you men are big. And with those nice weapons you must be guards for someone very important. What are you doing out here so far away from town? Oh! You must be on a secret mission! Is it a search for stolen treasure? No, a kidnapping I bet. Yeah, that's it! The lady must have been taken for ransom. Can we help?" The man in the middle, slightly confused by the girl's rambling, took a moment to reply. With a smirk he said, "Yeah, you can help us."

Without giving him any more time to speak, Gabrielle threw herself in to a very long, very enthusiastic list of things she and Xena could help with. "That's excellent! What do you need help with? We can take a message to your master or anyone you need or I can cook you fine men something to eat, as I'm sure you're starved. Or maybe your wagon broke and you need help replacing the wheel; we can do that. I'm not great with horses, but my friend is. She can do anything you need with them. Oh, and she's really strong too, if you need help moving things. She doesn't talk much, but she's a really good worker. Do you need your uniforms mended? I can do that easily. Or maybe..." She continued chattering away, seemingly paying no heed to the expressions of the four men. The leader, who had apparently had enough of a naïve, dumb girl cut her off. "That's enough talking! Don't you ever shut up! Now, we are going to tell you exactly how you can help us, and then we are going to be on our way. Here's how it works; you give us your money, the horse and everything on it, and a little 'entertainment' without another word. If I hear another sound," he looked pointedly at the bard, "I'm going to cut out the tongue that made it. Got it? Now hop to it."

Xena slid down off Argo, keeping her sword hidden, and stood next to Gabrielle. The bandit leader motioned for one of his men to take the reins. As the man moved forward and reached out, the warrior's stoic face broke into a wicked grin. "No one touches my horse," she warned in a low, almost sinister voice. The tone stopped the man in his tracks, but the leader was not as easily intimidated. "I told you, not another word," he said as he reached for the reins. Xena, in a lightning fast move, unsheathed her sword. "And I told you, no one touches my horse." Her boldness infuriated the man. No woman was going to tell him what to do, and no woman was his match with a sword. Or so he thought at the time. Looking back at his men he ordered, "Get them!"

The group split up to attack the women. The leader and the man with the staff took Xena. The other two, one with a short sword and one with a heavy club, took Gabrielle. While the men were not poor fighters, they were no match for Xena. Not wanting to seriously hurt the men, she agilely danced in and out of their wild sweeps, only blocking their strikes when necessary. Gabrielle wasn't having any trouble with her attackers either. Xena disarmed the man with the staff sending it flying across the road, and focused on stopping the leader. The bard was also able to disarm one of her opponents; the man with the short sword. She worked around the man with the club, circling like the warrior taught her.

Near by, Xena gave the bandit leader a hard kick to his stomach and sent him reeling backwards. At the same time, Gabrielle was stepping back out of the range of a strong swing of the club. The leader, stumbling back, bumped into the blonde, pushing her forward and into the path of the club. There was nothing she could do, but turn her body and lean back. The club struck her hard on the upper arm, square on the cut from the previous battle. The force of the blow and the pain radiating down her arm took Gabrielle to the ground. With a final burst of strength, she swept her staff at the man's knees, causing him to fall. By this time, Xena had come up behind Gabrielle. As the two remaining men scrambled to their feet, the angry warrior gave them twin kicks to their backsides. They took off running down the road, leaving their weapons and their pride in the dust.

Seeing that there was no more threat, Xena knelt down next to Gabrielle. The blow had ripped the cut open and blood had soaked through the wrap and was running down her arm. Xena gently took the girl's arm in her hands and carefully un-wrapped the bloody bandage to examine the wound. It was already bruised and swelling by the time Xena wiped away the blood. In the fading light of the day, she knew there was not much she could do on the road. The stitching would have to wait until they reached town. She applied a thick ointment to help stop the bleeding and wrapped it in a thick bandage.

Gabrielle hadn't said a word the entire time and just sat looking at the ground. Xena cupped a hand around the girl's face and with her other hand slowly lifted her chin. When their eyes met, Xena saw the pain in Gabrielle's watery eyes. The bard remained strong though, and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and stood. The warrior followed her up, one hand still on the blonde's cheek. "Gabrielle…." "I'm ok Xena," Gabrielle told her. Xena sighed, "I wouldn't call this ok. I'm so sorry Gabrielle, this is my fault. I should have been more aware of my surroundings; I should have known exactly where you were." "You can't blame yourself for this. We were fighting, things happen. You cannot control every aspect of a battle," the bard said. Xena took the younger woman gently into her arms. "Maybe you are right. But I'm still sorry you got hurt. When we get to town I'll stitch it. There's no way to avoid that now." Gabrielle nodded against Xena, "Yeah, I figured."

The warrior let go and stepped back, whistling for her horse. When Argo came to a halt, Xena led Gabrielle over to her and picked up her staff. Xena mounted and held a hand down for Gabrielle. The little bard took it and felt herself being pulled onto the horse behind her friend. The movement of that set the pain burning again, and she leaned her forehead against the warriors back for a moment until it passed. Xena knew what had happened and didn't move until Gabrielle did. After checking on the blonde and making sure she had a good grip, she nudged her horse forward toward town.


	5. Chapter 5

_**AN: **__I want to start off by letting you guys know how sorry I am for the ridiculous wait between chapters. School started up again and I have had almost no extra time to write lately, at least not about things other than Invertebrate Zoology. For those of you who reviewed the previous chapters, I really appreciate it and hope you will continue to do so. And those who have added my story to your alerts or favorites, I thank you. Now, what you all were waiting for…._

They reached town just after sunset. Xena led Agro to the town stable and slid off her horse. When the stable boy approached she handed him 5 dinars with the promise of another 2 if he took good care of Argo. She turned to offer her help to Gabrielle, but wasn't sure the bard would accept it. When she held out her hand, Gabrielle took it immediately and let Xena take most of her weight. Xena noticed and gently lowered her to the ground. Once on the ground, the blonde leaned into the warrior and closed her eyes. The warrior carefully wrapped her arms around Gabrielle. "Are you alright? Is there anything wrong besides your arm?" Gabrielle shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Just ready to be settled for the day." Xena nodded in acknowledgement, "We'll get a room at the inn. A hot meal and a soft bed will be nice after the last few days."

She led the little bard over to a hay bale and told her to sit while she un-tacked and rubbed down Argo before handing her over to the stable boy. A few minutes later Xena came back to Gabrielle carrying their belongings and held out a cloak. "Before we go in, put this on." When the blonde gave her a questioning look she explained, "Your arm is still bleeding. I don't know much about this town and I don't want them to think we are trouble and give us a hard time about a room. I'm not in the mood to argue with them about it. The cloak will cover your arm and save us the questions." As she said this Xena wrapped the cloak around her friend and fastened it.

Gabrielle understood what Xena meant and let her friend fit the cloak around her shoulders. She again took the warriors hand when she offered it to help her stand. The bard became slightly dizzy upon standing but didn't mention it to Xena, though she figured it didn't escape notice from the older women. After a few moments, the dizziness passed and they made their way to the nearby inn.

The inn was only a few streets down from the stable and they reached it quickly. Upon entering the establishment they were greeted by the smell of cooking food and a room full of people. A tall man made his way through the crowd toward them. "How can I help you ladies this evening?" Xena stepped forward and said, "We'd like a room for the night, if you have one." The man nodded, "Of course. I happen to have one room left. Not normally this crowded here but there's a weddin' in town tomorrow and all the guests came in early. The room's in the next building over, not in this one with the tavern. And there is only one bed in it. That alright?" "That's fine," Xena replied, "Probably quieter over there anyway. And the bed won't be a problem." Again, the man nodded, "Right this way then." He led them through a short hallway which attached the two buildings together. Once in the second building, they went up a flight of stairs and to the end of the hall. The innkeeper opened the very last room in the corner and ushered them into the room. "Here's the room. There's a bathing room 'cross the hall. Bath's been freshly drawn up, and none of those folks have been up here yet. Feel free to use it. My name's Bedros if you need me. Anything else I can do for you?" he asked. Xena nodded, "Can we get some food brought up here? Two servings of tonight's house meal is fine. And a cup of milk if you have it." Bedros smiled at the girls, "Ay, I can do that. I'll be back shortly."

After Bedros left the room, Xena placed their things on the small table. Gabrielle sat on the foot of the bed and waited for the warrior. "Why milk?" she asked. Xena smiled at her, "For you. I'm going to add some herbs to it that will help with the pain while I stitch up your arm. The herbs, I have found, work better when taken with milk." The bard, with a look of slight understanding, nodded. Xena sat down next to her and unfastened the cloak. Gabrielle shivered at the loss of warmth when the warrior pulled it away.

Noting that the room was quite warm from the fire burning in the small fireplace, Xena became concerned. She took the girls' hand feeling the heat coming from it. Placing her other hand on Gabrielle's forehead she could tell her friend had a low fever. Sliding her hand down to cup the blonde's cheek she said, "You have a fever Gabrielle." Gabrielle leaned into Xena's hand. "I thought I might," she said quietly. Xena raised an eyebrow, "Why didn't you say anything?" The younger woman sighed, "It hasn't been for long. I just wanted to get into the room, and I figured you would notice before too long." Xena looked into Gabrielle's eyes, trying to express with her own how much it pained her to see her hurting. As she stroked her thumb across the blonde's warm cheek, the bard closed her eyes against the comfort she found in the gesture. A soft knock on the door forced Xena to stand and open it.

Bedros entered with a tray of food and two mugs. "Two of the house dinner, beef and potato stew, a mug of wine and a mug of warm goat's milk," he said as he set the tray on the table. "Anything else," he asked. "No," Xena replied, "This will do. Thank you Bedros." The innkeeper gave a quick nod of his head and exited the room.

Xena took a chair and set it closer to the fire, then led Gabrielle over to it. Once the girl was seated, she brought a bowl of stew over to her and told her to eat. After she watched her take the first bite, she went back over to her pack and pulled out a small bag with herbs in it. Finding the right one, Xena crumbled several leaves in her hands and then mixed them into the goat's milk. When the herbs were mixed in she handed the mug to her friend. "You need to drink all of this Gabrielle," she told the girl. Gabrielle looked up at her, "Ok, I'll try. I'm not very hungry though." Xena knew it was the fever and the pain making her feel this way. "Well do your best to eat, but you really need to get all of herbs down. So drink first. We can always heat up the stew again later." The bard nodded and took a drink.

The warrior retrieved her bowl of stew from the table and pulled her chair close to Gabrielle's. She was quite hungry and the warm richness of the stew was very good. Within a few minutes her bowl was almost empty. She looked over at Gabrielle and saw that she had eaten some of her meal but not as much as she should have. The blonde was, however, making good progress with the milk. As she finished the last of the drink Xena stood and took her bowl back to the table before returning to her friend. She reached for Gabrielle's bowl. "Come on. You don't have to eat any more right now. We will go across the hall and get cleaned up before I take care of your arm. If you get hungry again, just let me know and I'll heat it up for you." The bard relinquished the stew to the warrior and stood up. Xena took set the bowl next to hers and, placing a hand on Gabrielle's back, led the girl out of their sleeping room, across the hall, and into the bathing room.

_So the next chapter will be the bathing scene. I'm going to tell you right now that it will contain nothing more than a few friendly gestures of comfort. Sorry if you are hoping for more than that. They aren't at that part of their relationship yet. I'm not saying that I won't ever go further, in fact, I probably will, but I don't know when that will be or how I want to go about it. Hope I didn't get you over excited _


	6. Chapter 6

Upon entering the bathing room, Xena closed and locked the door. They didn't need anyone interrupting a chance for them to relax. The room was dark, perhaps to give bathers a sense of privacy and was lit by only a few candles and lanterns. In the center of the room was a steaming tub, large enough for maybe five people. On a shelf off to the side of the room were folded clean towels and several bars of soap. The warrior grabbed a bar and set it on the side of the tub. She then turned to Gabrielle. The little bard looked almost asleep on her feet and Xena knew it was a combination of many things. With a hand on the girls shoulder, she led her to the tub. "Clothes off Gabrielle, and then into the water. You'll feel better once you're in," Xena told her. With a small nod of acknowledgement the blonde made to do as she was told. At the same time Xena too began to remove her armor and leathers. She heard a disturbance of the water and saw her companion seated in the water, head leaned against the back, eyes closed. The warrior removed her last article of clothing and slipped into the water opposite of Gabrielle.

Grabbing the soap bar, Xena quickly lathered up and washed herself, effectively removing the road dirt from several days travel. Once her body was clean, she moved on to her hair. As she rinsed the soap from her dark tresses, she saw Gabrielle looking at her. Smiling at the bard, she passed the soap to her and finished rinsing her hair.

Across the tub, Gabrielle hadn't meant to stare at Xena. She had simply opened her eyes to be caught with the sight of the warrior emerging from the water, the droplets running down her face catching the light from the candles and making her skin glow in the darkness of the room. Seeing this she couldn't seem to look away. Xena was beautiful; everyone knew that and no one could dispute it. But Gabrielle got to see a different type of beauty from her. The beauty of the woman, not the warrior. The woman who held her at night when she got scared, who believed in her no matter what she did, whose gentle touch cared for her wounds, whose smile could brighten a room. It was the same smile she was being given now as Xena passed her the soap. She was kind enough not to comment on having caught her staring and continued with her bath.

Xena sat back to relax in the warm water once she was finished bathing. She looked about the room in curiosity, examining its layout and contents. As she moved her gaze across the tub she caught a wince and a grimace from Gabrielle as she tried to reach up. She called softly to the girl. "Gabrielle, come here." The girl looked at her questioningly but moved all the same. "What Xena?" she asked. The warrior took the soap from her friends hand and gently turned her around. "I saw your face," she said. "I know it hurts to move your arm. Let me wash your hair for you. Just sit there and relax." And as strong but gentle fingers began working through her hair, Gabrielle could do nothing but. A few minutes later the bard felt Xena's hands pushing against her shoulders, lowering her further into the water, then a large hand tilting her head back. The warrior proceeded to rinse the soap from the blonde locks. When the hands left her body, Gabrielle sat up a bit more. She was afraid that if she stayed in that position she would fall asleep so she moved back to lean on the side of the tug again.

The older woman watched her friend, and as much as she wanted to let her stay and soak she knew that she needed to stitch her arm before it got too late. She stood up and stepped out of the tub, grabbing a towel as she did. Wrapping it around her she reached for another and called out to her partner. "Gabrielle," the girl turned, "I wish I could let you stay longer, but I really need to work on your arm before it gets much later. And I promise that as soon as I'm done I'll let you go to sleep." The blonde opened her eyes and stood, taking the towel Xena offered. When she too was wrapped up in the soft towel, Xena walked with her over to the door, unlocked it and led the way back across the hall to their room.

In their room, now chilly due to the burned down fire, they changed into clean nightshifts. Xena stirred up the coals and threw another few logs onto the fire to warm the room. When the fire was burning stronger and the room brighter, she sat Gabrielle down in the chair next to it. The warrior pulled out the supplies she needed and set them on the bed so that they were close by. With a small stick, burning only on one end, she sterilized a needle and then threaded it. She rubbed a small amount of ointment along the length of the thread, then turned her attention to the young blonde. "Gabrielle, I'm going to stitch it up now. It shouldn't feel too bad because of the herbs from earlier, but you will feel little sticks and some pressure, alright?" Gabrielle nodded in agreement. In one last reassurance Xena told her, "I'll be as quick and gentle as I can. I promise." The young woman looked up at her best friend, "I know Xena, it's ok. Just do what you need to."

Xena took the girls arm in her hands and started her work. With the first stick through the skin, she looked up to check on Gabrielle. Her face showed the recognition of what had happened, but the combination of the herbs and the long, tiring day had drained her past truly feeling the pain. The gentle warrior continued, making the fewest number of stitches necessary to get the job done. It only took about 15 minutes to finish and as she placed the needle back in her pouch, Xena heard Gabrielle let out a shuddering sigh. Returning to her friend the dark-haired woman carefully applied a salve to the wound and wrapped it in a bandage.

Gabrielle reached with her good arm to touch Xena's hand, "Thank you Xena." The woman gave a little chuckle, "What for," she asked. "For helping me out, and being so gentle with me," was the reply. Xena pulled the girl up and lead her to the bed. "Don't worry about it Gabrielle. I just want you to be alright. Now get in bed; you need a good nights sleep." As the warrior pulled the covers over the young woman, she was stopped. "Aren't you coming to bed too?" Xena smiled softly at her, "Yes. Give me a moment to put away my things and I'll be right back."

She put everything away and walked back to the bed. Gabrielle watched her as she slid under the blankets. Hesitantly the blonde spoke up, "Xena?" "Hmm…" "Would you hold me? It helps me to sleep, and I'm feeling a little funny from all that stuff you gave me earlier. I really just want to be close you right now." Xena immediately shifted her position and moved to pull her girl into her. "Of course Gabrielle. I'll hold you whenever you want." The younger woman buried herself into the other woman and the two of them quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
